Much of TRL's injury prevention work is based on accident analysis, which helps understand the loading environment and determine the injury mechanism, leading to the development of priorities for injury prevention. This is combined with biomechanical knowledge to develop appropriate test tools such as the legform impactors and TRL's rail dummy injury criteria (dummy measurements such as chest compression or axial force in the leg) and injury risk functions.

The combination of test tool and injury risk function provides a tool for regulators and manufacturers alike to develop requirements for safer vehicles and to evaluate how well new vehicles meet those requirements. TRL has developed, on behalf of government and European Commission regulators:

• injury risk functions for lower leg injuries that are likely to result in long-term disability or impairment
• human body models of the spine, thorax and lower extremity

and has played a major role in the creation of

• European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee (EEVC) pedestrian safety test procedures, which are the basis for the current EC Directive and Euro NCAP tests, including the upper and lower legform impactors
• the EC Frontal Protection System Directive (i.e. bull bars) tests, including the upper and lower legform impactors.

TRL experts sit on many European committees and working groups, including the EEVC. On behalf of the Department for Transport, TRL represents the UK on EEVC WG12 (Biomechanics) and chairs WG20 (Rear Impact Test Procedures - Whiplash).

What Do We Do?

TRL is able to use its comprehensive understanding of biomechanics, dummies, impactors and human body modelling, coupled with access to in-depth and national real-world accident databases, to advise regulators and manufacturers on the development of appropriate test procedures and injury mitigation technologies for vehicle occupant and pedestrian protection.

We can offer:

• sled test trials to evaluate occupant interaction with the vehicle (e.g. pedal forces in emergency braking)
• evaluation of current and prototype dummies and impactors against biomechanical requirements developed at TRL and elsewhere, along with sensitivity, repeatability and reproducibility testing
• human body modelling:
  • lower leg model, suitable for assessing footwell injury risk in front impact
  • pelvis injury risk in side impact
  • pedestrian impact simulation to evaluate protection technologies.

Our work isn't confined to conventional cars but also covers specialist vehicles such as tractors, quarry trucks and vehicles adapted for military purposes. For modified vehicles, we can provide advice on:

• the safe installation of ancillary equipment (e.g. laptop holders, firearms lockers and video equipment)
• comprehensive adaptation of vehicles (e.g. mobile broadcasting vans)
• risk assessments.

TRL and Injury Prevention

TRL has been involved in a wide range of research both for governments and for private customers, the outcomes of which are often used to inform future changes to regulation or assessment methods.

Recent projects have included contributions to the development and evaluation of the ES-2 dummy, which is now implemented in regulations and Euro NCAP test procedures (EEVC and Department for Transport projects), and to the development and evaluation of the WorldSID 50th percentile male side-impact dummy and the THOR front-impact dummy, including the THOR-Lx advance lower extremity (EC and Department for Transport projects).

As part of the European APROSYS project, TRL is extensively involved in the development and evaluation of the prototype WorldSID 5th percentile female side-impact dummy and is involved in its ongoing development. We're also looking at the development of injury criteria and risk functions for head injury assessment, combining dummy measurements with numerical head models to evaluate the benefit of head protection systems.

TRL provides confidential and impartial research, consultancy and testing services including:

• accident analysis
• in-depth analysis of accident databases (CCIS, OTS, Stats 19)
• cost-benefit and feasibility assessments
• development of appropriate test tools and procedures
• mathematical modelling
• dynamic testing:
  • full-scale vehicle crash tests, including accident reconstruction
  • innovative sled test facility
  • pedestrian impact testing
• truck and car driving simulators.

If you're interested in learning more about the topics covered in this section, or you can't find what you're looking for and would like to talk to someone in detail about a specific topic, please contact:

Dr David Hynd
Head of Injury Prevention
Telephone: +44 1344 770310
Email: dhynd@trl.co.uk